RECYCLING of old electrical equipment will be boosted after Hampshire County Council teamed up with a county-based waste management company.

Hippowaste, based in Fareham, now helps the county council recycle old televisions, computer monitors and stereos taken to facilities such as Wade Road, in Basingstoke.

The company's Hippobags, which can be stored flat-packed and are less bulky than skips when in use, will be used at all 26 household waste recycling centres in the county.

The company will then collect the bags and take them to a reprocessing centre where metal and electronic parts are recovered so they can be reused.

Although facilities like Wade Road already recycle electronic items, county leaders hope the bags will be a more efficient way of dealing with this waste and will help to meet planned Government legislation.

Councillor Mel Kendal, the county council's environment chief, said: "Hippowaste was able to design a bespoke service for us so we could be assured that the Hippobags were up to the job.

"Space is at a premium at many of our household waste recycling centres, so anything that enables us to increase our recycling capacity within the space available on site is a real bonus."

Ben Clark, Hippowaste's head of sales, added: "As well as being less bulky, the bag allows easier segregation of materials, an area that could become increasingly essential if the planned WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive comes into force.

"We are already looking at ways to develop this initiative for other types of hazardous waste."

To find out what items can be taken to Wade Road, visit www.basingstoke.gov.uk/services/recycle/household.htm